Tesla is an American hard rock band originating from Sacramento, California… Read Full Bio ↴Tesla is an American hard rock band originating from Sacramento, California. The band formed in 1984 as City Kidd and was renamed to Tesla during the recording of their first album on the advice of their manager. According to the Love Song Songfacts, their name (and the inspiration for some songs) comes from Nikola Tesla, the legendary scientist and inventor who quite possibly is single-handedly responsible for the "mad scientist" trope. Originally, the group included Jeff Keith (vocals), Frank Hannon (guitar), Tommy Skeoch (guitar), Brian Wheat (bass) and Troy Luccketta (drums). In 2006, Skeoch was replaced by Dave Rude, who is now an official member of the band.

Tesla's music fit well with the blasting sounds of their 80s hair metal and glam rock contemporaries. Yet it was more bluesy and lyrics dealt with other themes than just the usual, girls, alcohol and violence. But what set them even more apart from their contemporaries was their t-shirt and jeans image, a 'street' look reminiscent of the Ramones (and other 70s punk groups) that was in strong contrast of the leather, spandex, and flashy-make type look of the time.

The band's early lifespan as City Kidd brought them considerable frustration, with them failing to break into the musical mainstream while also competing with another band with the same name. Their mutation into Tesla provided a clear shot at success. 'Mechanical Resonance', their debut that the boys released in 1986, became a commercial smash while also receiving significant critical praise. That album was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 5, 1989.

In total, the group has released six studio albums with original music, the latest of them being 2008's 'Forever More'. They have also created a a double-disc covers album, titled 'Real To Reel', as well as a number of compilations and live albums. Their sound has focused on a particularly melodic and accessible kind of hard rock with strong shades of classic heavy metal as well.

Tesla's popular 1990 remake of Signs, originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band (who also inspired the album which the remake came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam), is probably the most mainstream of Tesla's hits. However, many fans remember fondly Tesla's other hits such as Gettin' Better, Modern Day Cowboy, Little Suzi, Edison's Medicine and Love Song.

The band derived their name, certain album and song names (e.g. The Great Radio Controversy, Mechanical Resonance, etc), and some song content from events relating to Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer born in the 19th century in Smiljan, Austria-Hungary, modern day Croatia.

Rock Me To The Top
Tesla Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You gotta see him, are you ready, to take me in and rock me steady
Feel the power, feel the heat, put yourself in the driver's seat

You're in the air, I feel you surround me
I'll do anything that you wanna do, come on!

[Chorus]
Rock me, rock me (rock), rock me to the top, to the top, baby

Rock me, rock me (rock), don't ever stop, no

I'll take command, take control, now I see you comin' back for more
I see you like it, but you don't need it, oh, you wanna feel it

I'm in the air, feel me surround me
I'll do anything that I want you to, come on!

[Chorus]

Rock me, rock me (rock), rock me to the top, [says you looked hot] to the top
Rock me, rock me (rock), oh baby don't you stop

(Rock) I wanna feel the air, the air, wanna feel the air (rock)
I wanna feel the air tonight, can you feel the air, ow!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rock Me To The Top" by Tesla revolves around the idea of the power of music to take you on a journey. It is an invitation to the listener to join the experience of being transported by the rhythm and melody to another place. The song starts with an invitation to the performer to take them in and rock them steady. The lyrics then suggest that the performer is in control and that the listener should put themselves in the driver's seat.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Rock Me To The Top" which is an invitation to the listener to let go and allow the music to take them to the highest point. The lyrics suggest that the performer has the power to take command of the experience and that they want the listener to feel it.

The lyrics of the song suggest an electric energy that surrounds both the performer and the listener. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "I wanna feel the air, ow!" which suggests that the performer and the listener are being lifted off the ground by the force of the music.

Overall, the lyrics of "Rock Me To The Top" suggest an invitation to join in the power of music and to let it take you on a journey. It suggests that the performer has the power to take the listener into a different world where they can let go and be lifted by the force of the music.

Line by Line Meaning

You gotta see him, are you ready, to take me in and rock me steady
Are you ready to experience my music and let it take control of you?

Feel the power, feel the heat, put yourself in the driver's seat
Let the energy of the music take over you and guide you like a driver.

You're in the air, I feel you surround me
The music creates an atmosphere where you feel like you're soaring and enveloped in sound.

I'll do anything that you wanna do, come on!
Let the music guide you and take you on a journey without hesitation.

Rock me, rock me (rock), rock me to the top, to the top, baby
Let the music take you to the top of your emotional and physical state.

Rock me, rock me (rock), don't ever stop, no
Let the music continue to control and impact you without interruption.

I'll take command, take control, now I see you comin' back for more
I am in charge of this musical experience, and I see you being drawn to it repeatedly.

I see you like it, but you don't need it, oh, you wanna feel it
You may not necessarily require this music, but you crave the emotional and physical sensations it provides.

I'm in the air, feel me surround me
The music creates an atmosphere where I feel like I'm soaring and enveloped in sound.

I'll do anything that I want you to, come on!
The music is free to guide me and take me on a journey without hesitation.

Rock me, rock me (rock), rock me to the top, to the top, baby
Let the music take me to the top of my emotional and physical state.

Rock me, rock me (rock), oh baby don't you stop
Let the music continue to control and impact me without interruption.

(Rock) I wanna feel the air, the air, wanna feel the air (rock)
I want to experience the musical ambiance and let it impact me.

I wanna feel the air tonight, can you feel the air, ow!
I am eager to absorb and let myself feel the emotional and physical sensations the music is creating.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFFREY KEITH, TOM SKEOCH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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